Tipsy
by hell1sempty
Summary: The one where Warner gets a little tipsy and displays some rare PDA/
The war is over.

At least, temporarily.

It has been one long, drawn-out week filled with meeting after meeting after meeting all discussing one thing: life following The Reestablishment. Warner has been brilliant, handling the military side of everything and guiding me in the right direction. We operate as a team, going into these meetings with the other sector leaders, discussing plans and how to make the world a better place. Everyone is still apprehensive and a bit anxious to accept change, but things are moving forward nonetheless.

So far we have been met with positivity, or there at least hasn't been any more fighting. We found that the other sectors were going through what 45 had been; a slow wave of rebellion was rippling through each sector and though none had been as advanced as ours, they were well on their way to another war.

That isn't to say there hasn't been adversity. A lot of the sector leaders raucously refused our offer for peace, our offer to sit down and talk in an effort to smooth over the process of change. I am not so naive as to think everyone is thrilled with these new changes, but we are advancing, moving forward. This world is not so damaged that its inhabitants should not get a chance to live happier, healthier lives. Though there are still those who oppose me, I am not worried. I might still be seventeen, but I have already taken down the nation's last Supreme Commander with my bare hands and I am not intimidated by them in the least. They still don't realize I am the new leader, that me and my men are not to be taken lightly, that I am—

"Juliette."

Warner.

I am sitting on our bed in our room on base, surrounded by plans and paperwork for the future. The entire bed and some of the floor is littered with them. This, I've noticed, makes a small crease form between Warner's eyebrows. It's adorable.

I tried at first to use his office but felt confined behind my newly delivered desk. Before long I found myself walking around the office just to keep myself concentrated. Long story short, it nearly drove Warner crazy. Warner, who is so used to order and structure. The sight of our bedroom being in such a state must be bringing on a stroke, but he covers it up well. He smiles at me and his dimples are displayed deliciously on his cheeks, distracting me from my train of thought.

"I was coming to see if you were ready for dinner, but it seems I already know the answer."

I stare at him. "That's tonight, isn't it?"

"Afraid so, love."

I heave a sigh through my lips and fall back against the pillows. Warner flinches, no doubt disturbed by the mess I have just made even messier.

"Everyone is waiting in the dining room for you."

I groan.

"You said seven and it's quarter after, love."

I groan again.

"If you need to cancel—"

"No," I say and heave myself from the bed. "No, I'm coming. I know it's only been a week and it's probably silly, but I miss them. I don't want to miss this for anything." I feel like I haven't seen my friends in a month and I might be busy, but I don't want to be that person who makes plans just to cancel them. My work is important, but so are they.

So I get up. I'm still wearing the suit Alia made for me; it's so well designed I'm convinced it will last forever. I have been wearing it to my meetings lately not only to stand out against everyone else but to command a certain respect. I need them to remember my abilities….and fear them.

I get to my feet and shuffle the papers together in one giant heap; try to ignore Warner when he pinches the bridge of his nose. I giggle in amusement but he just stands there with his eyes closed. I shove them some place in a drawer next to my side of the bed. His eyes are still tightly shut. It is not until I'm inches away from his face that he finally opens them. The green of his irises are still so striking to me, even now. In these past weeks I have looked into them so often I know them like my own, but the color is still so amazing to me.

I take these ten fingers, five on two of his cheeks and hold his gaze until the need to kiss his lips is almost too much.

"Thank you for coming to get me. I keep getting distracted," I say. Laugh a little. "Who knew taking over as Supreme would include this much paperwork?"

He puts one hand on the back of my neck, places the other on my waist, pulls me closer.

"You are perfect," he breathes. Touches his nose to mine. "You are remarkable. I have never seen anyone adjust to such a drastic change so well in my life. You were born to lead, my love. The paperwork is an unfortunate factor in taking over, but after the first few months you won't even notice it."

I want to tell him I'm not so sure, that I'm not as confident as he is in my abilities to lead an entire nation, but my heart is beating a very loud and very fast song inside my chest. It's suddenly becoming harder and harder to breathe because he slowly slowl touches his lips to mine and I forget everything but his arms around me. Everything but the softness of his lips against my lips and his tongue gradually making its way to mine.

I break away.

"I hate to be _that guy_ ," I say breathlessly, "but if we take any longer to get down there Kenji will come knocking on our door. You know how serious he is about his food." Warner is about to scoff at such an idea (I really don't think he knows how serious Kenji can be about food) when I gently extract myself from his grasp and turn my body so my back is facing him. I move my hair so he has a clear view of the zipper running from the nape of my neck to the low part of my back. It's been an unspoken rule that whenever there's a zipper, Warner gets to undo it. For some reason, he loves to be the one to unzip my clothes, and I can't say I'm exactly complaining.

And so he goes about it, gliding the zipper of my suit deliberately down my back inch by painful inch until my heart is beating fast again and I'm not sure I won't jump his bones.

"Aaron," I say, voice just above a whisper.

"Yes, love?"

"How much longer do you think we can stall?"

We arrive arm in arm to dinner fifteen minutes later; Warner with slightly swollen lips and me with flushed cheeks and a ridiculous grin I just can't seem to shake. Being the extremely private person he is, Warner refuses to show and kind of personal display of affection. He won't even hold my hand unless we're alone, says it's too personal and doesn't want to share that part of his life with anyone. I understand this on some level; he was raised to hide parts of himself from the world so no one would take it from him and now that he's safe, he can't shake it. I don't want to push him, but I wouldn't mind shouting it from the rooftops. I wouldn't mind if everyone in the entire world saw that he is mine.

The dining room, which is reserved on base for special occasions only, is filled with everyone I've grown close to in the past few months. Kenji, Castle, Winston, Ian, Brendon, Alia, Adam, James, Lily, Sonya, and Sara are all talking animatedly about their week since the war.

Kenji is the first to speak to us. "Well it's about damn time, Princess! I thought I was going to have to come after you." He gives me a look that says he would have too if I gave him another five minutes. I shoot Warner a look that has _I told you so_ written all over my face.

We greet everyone and take our seats, Warner signaling to Delalieu to bring in the food.

"Sorry everyone," I say, "I got carried away working on some papers. You wouldn't imagine all the forms and lists I have to go through every day."

Kenji wiggles his eyebrows at the pair of us, "Yeah working awful hard I see."

I feel the following blush creep over my entire face. I can't even look at him.

I look at James instead.

The food arrives within minutes and is delicious, of course. There's chicken and steak and vegetables and wine and so much food I don't think we'll be able to finish it all, but Kenji, Adam, and James are starting to prove me wrong. They must be on their third helping each, but I can't fault them; I don't think they've ever seen so much food all at once. And it is delicious. I can't believe there was ever a time when I refused a hot meal from base. I can't believe how much my life has changed in such a short amount of time.

I look around at these people and can't help the overwhelming happiness taking over my heart. Sara and Sonya are talking animatedly with Alia about a design she has just come up with; she even brought her sketchbook with her. Something about how she thinks she's finally come up with a pair of gloves that will accelerate their healing powers or something. I can't exactly hear over Kenji's loud mouth. He's on his third glass of wine and retelling a story about the time he pranked Adam and he almost peed his pants.

"He jumped so damn high," Kenji wheezes, unable to get a full breath in due to his laughing. "Oh man, it was like some kind of cartoon!"

Adam rolls his eyes. "It wasn't that bad."

This only makes him wheeze harder as he remembers.

"Kent. Man. You can't tell me you didn't piss your pants at least a little bit!"

Adam shakes his head. "You're an idiot."  
Kenji is laughing harder now, shaking so much he literally falls out of his chair.

There's a moment of silence. Then, so much laughter the walls shake with it. I can only imagine what the soldiers outside think of all this noise but I am too far gone, too happy to care. It's been a long time since we've been able to sit back and enjoy everyone's company like this. This feeling of complete happiness is so strong and unfamiliar and altogether _fun_ I almost start to cry.

Warner takes my hand under the table.

I look up and I think how strange it is to see a real smile plastered on his face that isn't reserved just for me. His gorgeous green eyes sparkle as he chuckles at Kenji and everyone's jokes and listens to everyone's stories. Warner too has had some wine, but that's not it; or at least it isn't all of it. He is feeling everyone's emotions all at once. Their happiness and laughter must be coursing through his veins.

And it hits me then: this is probably the first time in his entire life where he's been able to enjoy

himself with people he doesn't have to hide around. I think it's finally starting to hit him that if he can trust anyone in the world, it's the group of people in this room. That thought makes me so unbelievably happy that I really can't control the tears this time.

"Are you alright, love?" He brings a hand to my cheek. Keeps it there. That crease between his eyebrows is back and making him more irresistible than ever.

"I'm perfect," I say beaming. "I've never been happier."

Warner nods, closing his eyes for a moment. "I can feel you," he says. "Your emotion, I mean. I can feel everyone else's, but yours most of all. You are so absolutely happy right now and it's kind of infectious." He chuckles a to himself a little too loudly earning a glance from Adam right across the table. Things between these two brothers are still awkward; they haven't had enough time to actually sit down and work things out, but at least he isn't starting any fights tonight. Something I am grateful for. Though I do still recognize some jealousy in him, he attempts a small smile. It looks more like a grimace than anything else.

I look back at Warner. He is still staring at me. I must look like a tomato I'm blushing so much.

"I'm in love with you, Juliette," Warner is saying. His voice is low enough so only I can hear it. His eyes never leave mine when he say this and it might be my imagination, but his face seems closer to mine than it was before. It also might be my imagination, but the dining room seems to have quieted down some too. Warner doesn't seem to notice.

"Every day I am so amazed that I am yours. That you chose me." His forehead is resting against mine and it's as if the room disappear. There is no one but us and these words. They fill the room full to bursting until they wrap around us and tie us together. Hold us in place. "God, Juliette. You make me the happiest man in the world. I didn't know I could be this happy." And he is kissing me before I can remind him of himself. Maybe he will regret showing this much affection in public tomorrow when he has a clear head, but tonight we are happy. We are among more than friends, but family.

So I kiss him back, trying to distinguish the line between what is appropriate and what is not. It's getting harder to recognize with every second his lips press upon mine, especially when his tongue starts to sneak its way out-

But then James is whispering, "Are they ever going to stop?"

And Knji is saying, "Kid, I really hope so. This is still so goddamn weird. I don't think there's enough bleach in the world to help me get that image out of my mind."

And it is only then that I remember myself. I pull away with a gasp, covering my mouth, too embarrassed to open my eyes. I can't believe I just made out with Aaron Warner in front of all our friends. I am beyond mortified.

"I still think it's kind of sweet," Winston says.

Another beat of silence. Next, everyone is laughing or giggling or agreeing with Winston and I feel like a balloon full to bursting with air. I am so light I feel I could just float away. So I do.

"All joking aside," Kenji starts again, "please limit the necking to about zero when in my company. I'm still a little delicate given you pick this guy over me. I mean I guess he's alright looking, but he's no Kenji amiright, J?" He winks at me.

"We were not-" I begin.

"And also there are children present. Wouldn't want to give poor James any ideas now-"

"Shut up, Kenji!"

"Yeah," Warner chuckles, "Shut up, Kenji," and promptly kisses me again to end the conversation.


End file.
